Building confidence, strong technique, and a lifelong love of Irish dance.
The O’Connor School of Irish Dance has been proudly teaching on the North Shore since 2003, offering Irish dance classes for children and adults in a supportive, engaging environment.
Classes are held in North Vancouver and Vancouver, welcoming dancers from age 5 through adult, from beginners to more experienced students.
Our Approach
Classes are structured, encouraging, and rooted in strong fundamentals. Dancers develop coordination, musicality, posture, and confidence in a positive, age-appropriate learning environment.
Class sizes are kept intentionally small, with multiple teachers at the beginner and novice levels to ensure individual attention and a strong foundation from the start.
Performance & Competition
Dancers may take part in community performances, helping build confidence and stage presence. Although competition is never mandatory, Terri and her assistant instructors teach a competitive syllabus to keep dancers engaged and working toward their next goals.
Adult Irish Dance
Adult dancers are an important part of the O’Connor School of Irish Dance. We are proud to offer the largest adult Irish dance program in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.
Classes are supportive, structured, and focused on strong technique, confidence, and enjoyment.
Our Instructors
Terri Heckmann, TCRG – Director
Terri has been teaching Irish dancers of all levels for 26 years, with a focus on
clear technique, encouragement, and a lifelong love of dance.
Parent FAQ
What about costumes and dresses?
To keep costs manageable, competition and performance dresses are rented through the school and covered by an annual costume fee. Dresses are introduced as dancers progress and are used for competitions, performances, and the year-end recital.
What about shoes?
For the first few lessons, runners are perfectly fine. The school maintains two used shoe bins, and families are encouraged to check these first as dancers grow. Guidance on purchasing new shoes will be provided only if the correct size cannot be found in the used bins.
Does my child have to compete?
No. Competition is never mandatory. Classes follow a structured syllabus to support progress, motivation, and confidence for all dancers.
